Apparatus for handling a cartridge belt



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N ENTOR. 50k/CK MMM/M BY %%4 rromvfy May 22, 1955 D. A. MAANUM APPARATUS RoR RANDLNG A CARTRIDGE BELT Filed June 6, 1952 May 22, 1956 D. A. MAANUM APPARATUS FOR HANDLING A CARTRIDGE BELT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6, 1952 A A [I wo\\\ fm ,|/mm IIQQ\ Q\\ IAN: im.

.U N wwf/m ,mA ,r WMZ C UnitedStates Patent APPARATUS ron'HANDlrnNG` A CARTRIDGE BELl t Dednick A. Maanumpi Minneapolis, Mimi.. Application June,6,.1sszf,tserialNo. 4292,@32

1.o1aam.(onss47) This-.invention frelatesito .aniapparatusf andmethodfor handling; axcartridgewbelt suchtasf a: machine' gunr cart-` ridges belt, and=dis`posingtheesamednsa` container from t Whihrit may bel-removedzas itismsed; Inrtheoperation Thereforeitzisf desirableathat such af cartridge belttbe packed in.: at, conveniently :handled container Afrom which it-:tmay be withdrawnrasfitfis used;

l It isL an` object of-this. inventionf toprovide-V an apparatus frorfhandlingra cartridge z-belt :and Adisposing they same in va containerinw aL predetermined; formation comprising;` a suppont .-for; said: belt; guide.: means for holding said" belt irl-yl 1ayers,. meansgfor` holding.: said'belt at spaced points, and rfmeans for4V dischargingcsaidtfolded belt downwardly from said support into a container to causesaidbeltfto take faq; certain'gformation,therein; i

It isA another object"` of'thisiinvention: to provide' an ap-k paratus, forf handling sa cartridge belt :and'disposingr the same infia container'havingtirr:combinationgy a standI corn-v prising a horizontal; membenfor `supporting said belt,V said member'lhaving an;openingfintermediatesits iendsibeneatli whichpan t open i top; container v may. be:` placed to receive said belt, means carried by said memb'er:for `guidingthe folding of said belt in successivelyrshorter:layers; said support` comprising membersiat each tend of `said "opening adapted to 1; bea-raised",upyvardly'` to raisef said' belt` and;y to.

. drop; -the.same; into said container-.Linas certain formation:

It t ist another` objectgofr, thistfinvention to' provide* an apparatus for handling a:1 Acartridgexi belt e and; disposing: the sanrein a container .having;in combination;v a stand come prisingl-fiait. substantially@ horizontal 1 support; for# said belt; said.' supporty having', an openingf intermediate its ends beneath which rai-container;` having an` xopeny topf maya be placed; to; receive; said belt, assnbstantiallyvertical@mem berr disposedat `lone.- side-fof saidxopening.adaptedftofguide thea folding. off saidf belt 1in t, successively`- shorter layers,A said :support comprisingnupwardly vinclinedl :members `dis-A posedrat each end` of saidzopening, `platemembersplaced overtsaid t upwardlyl inclined 1 members and 1- respectively extending ;for .i some :distance .'beyondathe ends-tof.l said-ins clined .rnelnbers;` meansf carried i by i saidfy plate t. members for releasingly holdingthe.V ends ofstheilrst :layer oftzsaid belt whereby said plate members may be lifted upwardly at their,V outer endsntoraise; saidVV beltftandrto:i drop the same into said `container in ,a .certain formation.

It is also an object ofthis invention to provide a methodrfonfhandling aa cartridge-belt and disposing the Same irisarcontainer.. which .consist-s `virifplacing` usaid i' belt upon atmember.havingan..openingaintermediateits ends beneath which a container having an open top can be placed to receive said belt, folding said belt in successively shorter layers and raising the ends of said belt upwardly for causing said belt to drop lthrough said open- 2 ing'andrinto tsaid containerv and beV folded intov ai-pre4- dtermined'position;

It:is'v'afurtherv object of `this invention toprovidea method of handlingla` cartridge beltnanddisposing` the sameiinahcontainerin a predetermined'-formation which consists:irrfoldingfsaid belt in` layers on a support; holdh inglsaidrbelt at spaced points and dischargingsaid flded beltintoz-arcontainerto cause the" same to takea certain formationetherein:

These ,and :otherI objects and advantages fof ltheginventtion will.; be "fully. set `forth in the following'` description madetin connectionV with the accompanying4 drawingsti which; like; reference characterst refer` to--similary parts throughoutthe=,severalfviews andnwhich:

Fig.` lV isva view` inA side elevation showing some parts in-sectionz-and some partsgin'dotted linesg# i Figi?. iszafplan view yshowing `sonletparts in^'dotted`lirie;

3 :isra:A broken view in end elevation 'Yshowing some parts', in` dottedrline ,and 'l some. parts broken- 'awayg andE Fig. 4 is a broken view taken on inrthedirectionfof the: arrows.

Referring.' to the drawings; a rack forJh'and-liiigica-rA tridgebeltscomprising a frame 10 isfshown Sid frame is generally "rectangular in formandfwliileitfconldibe variou'slyfrnade,y intheembodimentfofftleinvention as illustrated itisv 'disclosedjas beingfmadefeof Twood Sid frame has a` back: member 1021, legjmembers 10b;x a.""top member 10c andi av bottom memberllldf `Sidl-` back member is disclosed as being madeJ ofsuitabljboards disposed"` in vertical relation tof membern 10C and being secured to i the rear side thereof by suitable means;v sucli as1wood screwsfor-nails'.` Said memberlll'a Aextendstc'nsome'distance` above memberv 10c; Membersa 10c 'and ltld'are shown as being generally rectangular., in'plan; Leg'members 10b` are respectively secured by'suitabl meanstomemb'ers 10c andlltld to their respective corner portions. A` member ltleis disposediacross the rear of saidrnember lllbeingsecured tothetrearedge portion offmember 4100i and to the rear leg membersdllb. and said member 10e extends for some distance upwardly from member 10d SecuredV to` the. frontpgortiornof member 10a is a member 112 `While saidmemben` 11 could bevariously made, in the rembodiment of .,tl1"e...in= ventionfillustrated it is.` made ofv a board wliichlastppr.- tions cut therefrom of .right triangularfrm fat.eacl1...of itsends to form" series of steps. Disppsedlintermediate the ends f of member, 11e is openingslSl which.is'..rece tangular in 'plan havinga substantial..length-,and..aa.width. adaptedto accommodate said cartridge. belt. Disposed at*eacl1 endofsaid opening 13, extending;outwardlyuv therefrom and being secured torthevtopssurfacof-.mem-'zber 10C'are upwardly inclined. memberscor` wedge-.shaped members Mfand 15. Said` members areslightlyflessaini widththansaid opening 13. Respectively `overlying memf, bers 1siand 15 and restingthereon areplate memberssl: and 17. ln the embodiment ofthe` inventionaasziilluse: trated, said plate members are madeof sheetfmetalf., Said plate members 16 and, 17 areadapted towextendalongis; tudinally over the inner ends of; members `14'-y and 151; and "to project fora shortdistancesover` saidopeningrl Said, members 16., and` 17. respectively 'havetinnen1 end: portionslc and,17c of ;a-reduced,iwidth. Said-.smemberst 16.. anch-17 respectivelyr extend outwardly? longitudinally from fmembers ,14 and 15J for i some distance. Members` 16.l and-i1?! havesspacedopenings46d; `1617 and T17o; lfb therein.:` Saidopenings :are rgenerally*rectangular. iin'pljan;` Adaptedn to. be@ disposed* in said* openings 16d and 1Gb' respectively are plate members 18 and 19, and disposed in openings 17a and 17b are plate members 24 and 25. Said members 1b and 19 and 24 and 25 :are respectively hingedly secured to bars 20, which bars are secured by suitable'means to the .under side portions of members 16 and .17 adjacent the rear end portions of members 14 and 15 respectively. Said bar members 20 are adapted to hold members16and 17 from sliding inwardly of members 14 and 15 respectively while members 16 and 17 Aare resting thereon by engaging the outer ends of members 14 and 15. VSaidmembers 18 and 19 and 24 and 2S extend beyond the outer ends of said openings 16a, 16b and 17a and 171: respectively at their under sides. Connectingthe rear end portions of members 18 and 19 and secured thereto is a cross member 21. Similarly member 27 is secured to and connects the rear end portions of membersl 24 and k25. The front end portions of'said members 18 and 19 are movable upwardly of said openings 16a and 16b and have hook members 18a and v`19a respectivelyy formed at their front end portions each being adapted to partially embrace a cartridge in said belt.y Said members 18 and 19 may be made of any suitable material and are herein disclosed as being made pf sheet metal. Similarly the front end portions of members 24 and 25 are movable upwardly of openings 17a and 17b `respectively and have hook members 24a and 25a formed at their front end portions.

An elongated plate member 28 generally rectangular inform is hingedlysecured onto member c and is disposed longitudinally'thereof adjacent its front edge portion by, hinge members 30 and 31. Said member 28 is of slightly shorter length than member 10c, being spaced inwardly fromeach end thereof, and is adapted to swing outwardly to a horizontal position and may be swung upwardly `and inwardly to a vertical position in relation to the surface of member 10c.

A pair of upstanding members 33 and-34 are secured to member 10d and extend upwardly and are spaced apart to lbe respectively in vertical alignment with the ends of opening 13. Said members 33 and 34 are adapted to hold therebetween a container 36. Said container 36 is generally rectangular in horizontal and vertical section and has an open top. The same may be made of any suitable material, such as metal, berboard or wood and is'fadapted to receive therein a cartridge belt. Said member `36 is positioned so that its open top is in alignment with opening 13.

A In carrying out applicants method, an end portion of a cartridge belt will be placed on member 10c. A cartridge belt generally comprises connected spaced clips adapted to hold a shell or cartridge therein. Said cartridges extend transversely of said belt in said clips and saidcartridgesand clips form a hinge so that the same with belt form an articulated lleXible structure. The hook vmembers 18a,'19a, 24a and 25a are adapted to be respectively 'disposed about spaced cartridges. Said hook members 18a and 19a'will be placed about the lrst cartridge inthe belt. Hook members 24a and 25a will be placed about the casing of a cartridge some distance from the first cartridge and the remaining portion of the cartridge belt Will be folded in layers which will become successively shorter in accordance with the vertical edges in the ends of thesteps in member 11. Therefore it is seen that hook members 18a, 19a, 24a and 25a hold the rst layer of said folded cartridge belt in position and the large portion of said folded cartridge belt overlies the opening 13. As said cartridge belt is being folded, member 28 will be raised to a vertical Aposition and said cartridge belt will be held in vertical position between. said member 28 and member 10a. An open top container 36 is preliminarily placed on mernber 10d between the members 33 and 34 which positions said container beneath said opening 13 and in alignment with the same. When the cartridge belt has thus been 7 folded, the operator places a hand on` each of membersV 16 `and 17 at their outer ends and raises said outer ends,

thus raising the outer end portions of said folded car- The ends of the rst layer of said cartridge` tridge belt. belt are held in position by said hook members, as described. The central portion .of said folded cartridge belt will thus be lowered into said container. The inner ends of members 16 and 17 are also lowered for some distance into container 36 to guidevthe loaded belt until the stretches thereof at the ends engage the bottom of container 36.r Members 16 and 17 will then be moved upwardly and the belt is discharged into container 36 and takes the predetermined formation shown in Fig. l. When said folded cartridge belt has been fully received in container 36, |the end cartridges"` of the rst layer of said belt, which are still held by the hook members as described, will be in position as the top shells respectively at opposite sides of said container. The operator then moves'cross members 21 and 27 upwardly and this will release said hook members from the cartridges held by Ithem. Members 16 and 17 will be withdrawn from said container and said folded' cartridge belt will b'e fully packed therein as shown.

By this arrangement, when the belt isto be used, the operator removes the upper end portion of the belt first and thelayers of the belt are easily and successively withdrawn from said container without failing as said cartridge belt is used and fed into thebreech of a gun.

Thus it is seen that I have provided a very simple and efficient method and apparatus for handling afcartridge belt and disposing the same in a container. By use of the apparatus and the method herein disclosed, an operator can quickly and easily handle a cartridge belt, folding the same accurately and uniformly and pack the same in desired predetermined formation in a container. The invention has been amply tested in actual practice, found to be very successful and ythe same is being used commercially.

It will of course be understood that various changes n may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the apparatus and in the steps and sequence of steps of theymethod without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists Ain a method and apparatus capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, such as disclosed and dened in the appended claim.

What is claimed is: v

An apparatus for handling a cartridge belt and disposing the same in va .container having in combination, a stand comprising a substantially horizontal support for said belt, said support havingr an opening intermediate its ends beneath which a 'container having an open top maybe placed to receive said belt, upwardly inclined members extending oppositely at each end of said opening and being secured to said support, plate members respectively` overlying said `last mentioned members and extending outwardly at each end therefrom, said plate members respectively having a pair of elongated openings-therein, members adapted to be disposedin said openings, hinges securing said last mentioned members respectively, to said plate members, said hinges abutting against -the outer ends of said upwardly inclined members, and hooks carried by said last mentioned members adapted to releasably hold portions of said belt until said cartridge belt is disposed in said container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,045,391 Graf Nov. 26, 1912 2,296,802 Thompson. Sept. 22, 19.42 2,494,564

Lambert. Ian. 17, 1950 

